One of our most popular posts is "What should I eat when I'm sick?" A dear friend of mine is also a vegetarian, and the Angels suggested this delicious "rainbow" vegetarian vegetable soup when she had the flu this winter.
Vegetarian Vegetable Soup
2 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs minced garlic
1 red or purple onion
2 14.5 oz cans organic diced tomatoes (or 1 28 oz can)*
2 Tbs dried (or 4 Tbs fresh) sage, sweet basil, oregano, marjoram, thyme
1 1/2 cups chopped broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and red cabbage**
1 cup dried purple (or forbidden) rice
1 qt vegetable broth***
2 cups water + 3 cups water
Saute onion and garlic in oil until soft and translucent. Add the diced tomatoes, broth, 2 cups water and herbs. Allow to come to a gentle simmer for about 15-20 minutes. Add the chopped veggies and allow to simmer for an additional 15 - 20 minutes. In a saucepan, heat the 3 cups of water, a dash of salt and rice. Allow the rice to come to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer while broth and veggies cook until all water is absorbed. Add the rice to the broth. Season to taste.
*In season, subsitutite 8 chopped fresh tomatoes in 2 cups of water
** I make this easy on myself and use prechopped bagged salad mix. Rinse carefully, then add to soup
***I use the kind that comes in a box in the organic food section
Rainbow Smoothies
I love a smoothie in the morning. It's fast, easy and fills my body with lots of good things. The Angels urge you to experiment with your favorite combinations of fruits, milks, and nut butters. Blend in a blender, and enjoy!
Root-Chakra Red
1 container Greek yogurt, raspberry or strawberry
1/2 frozen banana, sliced (slicing, then freezing, over-ripe bananas is a great way to use them up)
1 cup of almond milk, chilled
1 Tbs almond butter
1 cup raspberries, strawberries or combination
cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger to taste
Three-chakra Blend:
1 container Greek yogurt: strawberry, raspberry, peach or pineapple
½ frozen banana, sliced
1 peach or nectarine, peeled and chopped, or frozen or canned sliced peaches, about a cup
1 cup raspberries or strawberries
1 cup almond or other milk
Cinnamon,nutmeg and ginger, to taste
Chocolate Rainbow
1 container Greek yogurt: honey or vanilla
1 cup almond milk
½ banana, frozen and sliced
½ peach, peeled and sliced
1 red plum, peeled and sliced
½ cup blueberries
½ cup fresh mint leaves
1 Tbsp almond butter
1 scoop chocolate whey powder OR 1 Tbsp chocolate syrup
Pasta n' Peas Rainbow Primavera
2-3 tbs olive oil
1 small purple onion, sliced
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1 small green squash, sliced
1 small yellow squash, sliced
2 carrots, sliced in thin circles
3 cups fresh spinach
3 Tbs fresh chopped sweet basil, oregano, thyme or herbs of your choice
4 plum tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup of pinenuts
1 small bag frozen baby peas
1 box small shell pasta
In a skillet, preferably seasoned cast-iron, saute the onion and the carrots until the onions are transparent. Add the garlic and the squashs, saute a few minutes more, then layer in the spinach and the basil. Allow the bottom layer of spinach to wilt, stir to combine, then add the peas. When the spinach is thoroughly wilted, add tomatoes and pine nuts. Saute briefly until tomatoes are heated through and peas defrosted. Meanwhile, prepare pasta according to directions on box. When pasta is ready, combine with the vegetables. Garnish with black olives if desired.
I’ve also substituted rice mixtures that include whole grain and purple “forbidden” rice, or French lentils for an alternative "white-light" combination instead of the pasta.
Rainbow Chopped Veggie Mix:
This recipe was shared with us on our blog by Kathy from South Carolina. “This is a real time-saver,” says Kathy, “because once you make it, it keeps for several days and can be enjoyed hot or cold.”
Simply chop –
Tomatoes
Peppers (as many colors as you wish)
Purple, red or yellow onion
Canned beets
Celery
Then mix with –
Fresh, frozen or canned corn
Shredded carrots.
Kathy recommends that you keep this in the refrigerator. Use it with tuna or chicken salad; in omelets or burritos, over pasta, rice or greens. Or, eat as a refreshing salad with just a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, some herbs and a sprinkle of sea salt.
Karen’s Chunky Hummus
“Create this as you go to make it seasonal,” says Karen.
1 20 oz can of Chick Peas (Garbonzo Beans)
2 TBS tahini
1/2 lemon
1/4 cup low fat cream cheese
Place beans, tahini and cream cheese in blender and mix a few times
Squeeze 1/2 large lemon into the mixture (add a tsp or two of water if the mixture gets too thick.)
Mix until smooth.
Scoop out into bowl and mash with fork to create consistency you desire (it will not be totally smooth like store bought hummus). Add chopped cucumber, green or red peper, artichoke or spinach and stir. You can also add chopped fresh herbs such as sweet basil, oregano, thyme, tarrogon or dill to vary the taste. “Sundried tomatoes are great, too,” adds Karen.
Kim’s Rainbow Meat Loaf
1 Tbsp. oil
1 red pepper, chopped
1 carrot, diced small
1 yellow pepper, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
10 oz. mushrooms, chopped
3 lbs. ground turkey
1 egg
¼ cup parmesan cheese
½ cup bread crumbs
½ cup salsa
In oil sauté vegetables until soft and then let cool to room temperature. In a large bowl mix ground turkey, sautéed vegetables, egg, cheese and breadcrumbs. Mix just until combined. If really wet add a little more bread crumbs. Put in a 9” x 13” pan (this is too much for a loaf pan). Spread salsa on top. Cook at 375º for 45 – 60 minutes.
Ruth’s Haitian Rainbow Chili
2 lbs ground chicken
1 large sweet onion
2 cups Dried Small Red Kidney beans, Pinto bean, Pink bean, Black beans
4 cups organic chicken broth
1 small can tomato paste
Garlic 4- 8 cloves
2-4 tbsp Chili power
1 large bay leaf
4 -6 pieces of Dark chocolate
All the rest of the spices are to taste.
Cayenne pepper
1 Jalapeno
Bell Poultry Seasoning
Salt
Sage
Thyme
Parsley
Rosemary
Brown the chicken with the chopped onions and 2-4 chopped cloves of garlic. Add everything else cover and simmer until the beans are soft. Taste and stir often. The softest beans will disintegrate and thicken the sauce. If it gets too thick add more broth or water. If it's too thin smash up more beans. Sometimes I use a jar of salsa, or crushed fresh tomatoes. Feel free to improvise.
Kim’s Apple Crisp
5 Cups sliced, peeled, apples
2 – 4 Tbsp. sugar
½ Cup regular rolled oats
½ Cup brown sugar
¼ Cup flour
¼ tsp. cinnamon
¼ Cup butter
¼ Cup chopped nuts
¼ Cup coconut
For filling, place fruit in baking dish and mix in sugar.
For topping, in a mixing bowl combine oats, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture resembles course crumbs. Stir in nuts and coconut. Sprinkle topping over filling.
Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until fruit is tender and topping is golden brown. Serves 6.
Kim’s Banana Oatmeal Cookies
2 over ripe bananas
¾ Cup shortening
1 Cup Sugar
1 Egg
1 ½ Cups flour
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 ¾ Cups oatmeal
12 oz. bag chips (chocolate or cinnamon) or 2 cups raisins
Beat bananas, shortening and sugar together. Beat in egg. Add flour, baking soda, spices and oatmeal. Mix well. Stir in chips. Bake at 400º for 8 to 10 minutes or until starting to brown.
